Page 63 of Silver-Tongued Devil
She managed a smile. “I may have mentioned that Riley already did that, and that if you want to do it again, you’ll have to line up behind Evan.”
“Now, see, darlin’,” he said with a sigh, “that’s a problem. I’m not good at lining up behind anybody. Afraid I’m going to have to take that first spot.”
“Mm. But then…” She laughed, although it was still a little shaky. “Who’s going to hold me and make it better? I could really use that right now. I never told anybody all of that. Nobody but Riley. Evan doesn’t even know it all, I don’t think. I never talked about it with him, and I’ll bet Riley didn’t either. I was ashamed for so long.”
She turned that sculpted face to him, and it was like he was seeing her for the first time. His hand went to her cheek as if it had been pulled there, because it had. He stroked her cheek, and this time, she leaned her face into his palm. And still, she looked into his eyes. And then she raised her own hand to him, ran her fingers over his jaw, and said, her voice so soft, “You shaved for me tonight.”
“Yeah. I did.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?’
Their hands were still on each other, and the moment stretched out until she said, “For making my night so special.”
“Aw, baby,” he said helplessly. “You rip my heart out.”
“You know what the worst part is?” Her voice was barely a murmur, but he heard her. That was how close they were.
“No, what?”
“That now you won’t kiss me.”
“I’ll kiss you.” He wasn’t going to be able to stop himself. Except that was the whole point. “Here’s the deal,” he said, while his thumb stroked over that carved cheekbone and he watched her eyes soften. “Anytime you want me to pull up the anchor and take you home, you tell me so. Anytime. You tell me, and I’ll do it. That’s a promise.”
“Thank you.” She leaned in, pulled his head down, and brushed her lips over his. Then she was kissing his neck, under his ear, and murmuring against his skin, “Message received. Could you go on and let your regrettable side loose now, though? Because that’s what I dressed up for. Something else, too. Here’s a secret just for you. You shaved, but I waxed.”
Talk about a change of focus.
And then she bit him. Yes, she did. She took a nip out of his neck that made him jump, then kissed him there some more, her lips stirring that regrettable side into action. No hope at all.
His hand tightened on her cheek. “You know what? I think we’d better take our wine on over to the couch.”
“Mm. What a good idea.” She was still kissing his neck, and if he didn’t stand up now, he wasn’t going to be able to.
“Come on, wild thing.” He collected the bottle in one hand and the glasses in another and slid on out of there. A couple of steps, and he set them down on the coffee table, then turned around and took her hand as she was getting to her feet. He took her over to the light switch, turned the dimmers on down, hit another button or two over there, and got some music going. That was better. That wasgood.
“We’re not going to do it in the dark, huh?” she asked, still going for that badass. Some tease in her voice now, her hair falling over one eye, her body swaying to the soft pump of the music.
“Oh, no. No way. I’ve waited all this time to look at you again. I’m not missing my chance. In fact…” He put a hand on her shoulder and urged her gently around, then pushed her hair over one shoulder.
He had to sigh. Oh, that was nice. Her halter top was tied with a bow, and the back of the dress was cut low beneath that. Shoulder blades like angel wings, a slim, toned back, and all that smooth skin. He put a hand on one tie of that yellow bow and pulled. Unwrapping his Christmas present. She was sighing herself, melting back into him, so he found the zipper and slowly lowered it all the way down. Past the curve of her waist, down to the wonderful swell of her ass.
The two sides of the dress parted, and there was nothing underneath it but Dakota and two thin strips of lacy black thong. No bra, just all that wonderful body. He shoved the dress down, and when it hit the floor… oh, man. He had to get both hands on those firm, round cheeks, and then he had to run a hand down the center of that thong. And when he did, she shuddered.
He could have stood there and felt her for an hour, but on the other hand… there she was, reflected in the darkness of the window opposite him. Her eyes half-closed, her head thrown back, her high breasts bare, and that flat belly. Only that last secret bit of her hidden from his view, covered with a tiny triangle of black lace.
So much to do. So much to touch, and to kiss, and she wasn’t telling him to take her home. She was going to be his, all night long.
He told her, “Step out of the dress, baby,” watched her do it, then put his hands on her again. One of them on her hip, pulling her back against him, and the other one stroking slowly down her arm, all the way from shoulder to wrist, then up her body. Palming her belly, sending a finger stroking over that tiny silver barbell in her navel.
“Prettiest thing I ever saw,” he said in her ear. “When we were at that restaurant and you walked by me? I thought I was going to go up in a puff of smoke just looking at you.”
“You… noticed?” Her voice was breathy, and she was watching him in the window. Watching herself, and as turned on by it as he was, if that were possible.
“Oh, yeah.” He stroked over her belly some more. Her ribs. He had her ass cradled in his thighs, and he was aching.
“Blake,” she said when he slowed down, his palm over her middle, his thumb drifting in the valley between her breasts. “Please. Keep going.”
